Residents Want To Know When Blight Clean-Up Will Arrive

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(Memphis) Imagine walking out your door and seeing blight everyday. It has many neighbors wondering if anyone is listening.

Mark Taylor cringes every time he looks next door.

The lot that is a stone's throw from his house is covered in weeds and overgrown brush.

It's been like that since January, and now rats, snakes and mosquitoes have moved in.

"I have called the health department. Matter of fact I called the health department this morning. She says they can't do anything about it because the grass is so high." said Taylor. "That's two months ago I have been calling. I called on yesterday. I have called the Mayor's Action Office."

He says he's called so much, now no one will answer.

LaQuinn Rooks has also called.

Back on January 14th, a tree next door snapped in the snowstorm and fell on the abandoned home next to her's and even hit her roof.

"They (the city) comes out and cuts the grass, but they won't cut the tree at all. I have called several times to the Mayor's Action Center," said Rooks. "They have sent out letters not only to me but to my neighbors saying our property values have gone down because of the tree."

The city says its 25-block clean-up plan will eventually hit all areas.

We want to get you the neighborhoods on the list.

City leaders were in meetings Wednesday, but said they will have information Thursday.

Neighbors like 88-year-old Nathaniel Burks just want to know. He no longer has the strength to cut down the overgrown weeds next door.

"Sometimes you can't hardly see down the street because of the bushes and things. I can't see my neighbor's house because of the tree there," said Burks.

"Come cut the grass. That's all I want. You won't hear from me no more," said Taylor.

The city says the director who oversees the 25-block program will meet with us Thursday to show when you can expect work to start where you live.